Posted on: August 09, 2026 07:00 AM

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Central Islip man sentenced to 25 years in prison for fatally shooting man during 2022 attempted robbery

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Erick Garcia, 22, of Central Islip, was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree for fatally shooting 19-year-old Carlos Guillen of Bay Shore during an attempted robbery. The defendant also pleaded guilty to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree for an unrelated gun possession charge.

“The defendant arranged the meeting, brought the gun, and decided to commit a violent robbery, costing a young man his life and causing the family immeasurable grief,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Just a month later, he was found in possession of a loaded unserialized firearm, placing additional lives a risk. Today’s sentence holds him fully accountable for these actions.”

According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, on October 1, 2022, Garcia arranged to meet Guillen in a plan devised by Garcia to rob the victim. When Guillen arrived at the location selected by Garcia, the defendant got into the passenger side of the vehicle and attempted to rob Guillen at gunpoint. Guillen accelerated the vehicle and drove off with Garcia still inside. The defendant shot Guillen in the neck at point blank range and jumped out of the vehicle while it was still in motion.

Guillen attempted to call 911 but was unable to speak during the call. After crashing his vehicle, he was transported to South Shore University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead as the result of the gunshot wound.

Cellular telephone records place Garcia’s phone in the area of the crime at the time of the shooting and confirmed that he fled to Florida the following day in an apparent attempt to avoid capture.

On November 10, 2022, approximately one month after the shooting, Garcia was arrested in Central Islip after police found him in possession of a 9 mm unserialized loaded firearm. The gun is not believed to be connected to the October shooting.

On April 11, 2024, Garcia was arrested on homicide charges following an extensive investigation into the fatal shooting.

On July 7, 2026, Garcia pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski.

Justice Pilewski sentenced Garcia today to 25 years in prison on the Manslaughter charge and five years on the Criminal Possession of a Weapon charge, followed by five years of post-release supervision.

From DA